The catalytic oxidation of ethanol has been carried out over a tantalum oxide catalyst [J. Catal., 25, 194 (1972)]. The overall reaction | ||
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is believed to proceed by the following mechanism, in which ethanol is adsorbed on one type of site, S, and oxygen is adsorbed on a different type of site, S´ . Ethanol undergoes dissociative adsorption on two type S sites: | ||
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Oxygen also undergoes dissociative adsorption on two type S´ sites (presumably metal ions): | ||
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(a) Assuming that the rate-limiting step is | ||
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and that the adsorbed hydroxyl may be converted into water by | ||
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show that the initial rate law is | ||
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(b) What generalizations can you make after studying this problem? [2nd Ed. P6-17] |